Malegaon is 3rd worst corona-hit city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune.

Photo: BL Soni

In a major development on Wednesday, Malegaon Municipal Commissioner (MMC) Trimbak Kasar tested positive for the COVID-19. According to officials of Kasar's office, he is currently asymptomatic and stable and under home quarantine at a bungalow recently allotted to him.

Apart from Kasar, two others in his contact --Vaibhav Londhe (27) Assistant Municipal Commissioner (Removal of Encroachment/sanitation) and a photographer with MMC Abasaheb Ahire (43) tested positive on Wednesday. The duo too has been quarantined in an MMC bungalow.

According to Deputy commissioner of MMC, Nitin Kapadnis, who is incharge of formulating containment plan and acquire properties to turn into quarantine centres said Kasar had reported symptoms last week, following which his swab samples were collected. "On May 7, he complained of fever and throat pain. We immediately collected his swab samples. However, later symptoms seemed to have vanished. His results arrived on Wednesday afternoon. Following this, he has been put under home quarantine," said Kapadnis.

"We will be collecting and sending his swab samples again after three-four days. We hope that everything will be all right", he added.

Kasar was in the middle of a meeting with Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse at Malegaon Government Rest House today afternoon when his test report confirming COVID-19 infection arrived, he immediately left the meeting venue.

Kasar (53) who had taken charge as the Commissioner of MMC on April 28, 2020 about 20 days after the coronavirus outbreak in the city. He was earlier posted in Amravati.

He was staying in a hotel room until Tuesday. He was allotted a bungalow four days back and his family arrived to join him following which they shifted to the bungalow on Tuesday. "We will also screen his family for symptoms," Kapadnis informed.

According to the civic body sources, Kasar contracted COVID-19 infection through one of his associates.

Apart from three including the Kasar, swab tests of two other officials have been collected after they complained of chest pain and other mild symptoms, this includes an Assistant Commissioner and a Deputy Commissioner of Tax assessment department of MMC. "We have quarantined them too until their swab test results arrive," said Kapadnis.

Malegaon is 3rd worst corona-hit city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune. The city has so far reported over 550 corona cases and over 30 deaths.